Sarawak Pakatan’s new battlecry ‘Aram Berubah’

Taken from Free Malaysia Today

By Joseph Tawie

KUCHING: A new battle-cry, ‘Aram Berubah’, is set to echo throughout Sarawak in preparation for the forthcoming state elections. “Aram Berubah” is ‘Let’s Change’ in the Iban language.

Embracing the phrase last night, former law minister and PKR supreme council member Zaid Ibrahim flagged the new cry as he launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, who he described as a “white elephant” monster.

His call for change “Aram Berubah” stirred the more than 300 diners at a PKR function organised by the Lubok Antu division.

“Changing Taib with another of the Barisan Nasional is not good enough. It is no different. We must change Taib and his government and replace with Pakatan Rakyat chief minister and government.” he said.

“This is our mission for the coming election, and the people must understand this,” he said, pointing out that Sarawakians must come forward in order to create a new political culture.

Zaid also stressed that the Pakatan Rakyat must be well prepared to face this monster, the “white elephant” which is very powerful and very rich.

“He is being supported by the government machinery including the police and the election commission.

“So it is important that we have proper planning and logistical support to fight him and his government and be ready for BN’s cheating and money” he added.

Be the agents of change

At the same event, Sarawak PKR chairman Baru Bian urged his fellow members to be ‘agents of change’.

“We cannot expect other people to change; it must begin with ourselves and for me, I am the agent of change.

“We do not have radio and television Malaysia (RTM) such as TV1, TV2 and TV3 or any other channel to pass our message for change to the people.

“But let us be the agents of change ourselves by visiting all the longhouses and villages and tell them about Pakatan Rakyat and its mission,” he said.

“Tell them that with their support this is the best time to change Taib’s government,” he said.

Another PKR leader vice president Jeffrey Kitingan, said in his speech that the state BN had begun “to feel the heat” of their (PKR) ceramah.

“They are in a state of confusion and feel threatened,” he said relating an incident at a function at Kampung Ensebang Kuari, Balai Ringin early in the day.

While the function was organised for visiting Zaid, the BN had organised a next door concert in a deliberate attempt to sabotage the PKR function and counter the impact of Zaid’s visit.Read more here

Keeping PR together

DESPITE flare-ups in PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is on track to becoming a formal coalition, says Datuk Zaid Ibrahim who was tasked with developing a common manifesto for the opposition coalition.

PR’s application to be registered with the Registrar of Societies was submitted last week, and the manifesto has been given to the heads of PAS, PKR and DAP. The document is to be adopted by all parties at a PR convention scheduled for 18 and 19 Dec 2009. It is also speculated that Zaid will head the pro-tem committee of the registered coalition.

In an interview at his home in Petaling Jaya on 4 Nov 2009, Zaid tells The Nut Graph about the new political culture he hopes the manifesto will create. He believes it is such a manifesto that will set PR apart from the Barisan Nasional (BN).

Zaid, currently on leave from PKR, however, was reluctant to discuss the party’s problems. Instead, he stressed that the common manifesto was more crucial than ever to ensure that the PR coalition was based on policies and principles, and not a single party or individual.

On PKR

TNG: Do you aspire to have a more important leadership role in PKR?

Zaid Ibrahim: No. Absolutely not.

The word is that you hope to run for deputy president next year.

No. I’m not hoping to be number two or three or four or whatever. My role is to help Pakatan Rakyat. It’s beyond me to make anyone stronger. That’s for the party leaders to do. I don’t want to get involved in that. I’m only interested in putting together what all the parties want.

So your joining PKR is just a vehicle to strengthening Pakatan as a whole?

Yeah, if I don’t join one of them, they won’t trust me.

Even if you have no ambitions, are you facing pressure from groups within PKR who might want you to take a higher position?

No. There is no pressure. I don’t have supporters or groups in the party loyal to me. I’m happy enough if they support my ideas. I’m not interested in personal support.

With Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim‘s position uncertain because of his sodomy trial, what kind of second tier leadership does PKR need to have in place?

That is for PKR to decide. I do not want to offer any suggestions because that will be misunderstood and misconstrued. PKR is a broad-based party; they have a lot of members. They must decide what’s best for them.

You’re saying you’ve been misunderstood in the party?

The Sabah issue. I was just an innocent bystander but people think I was trying to interfere.